This is the most common nail condition and can be very painful. They occur when the nail has punctured the skin down the side of the nail, causing inflammation, and if not treated, they eventually will become infected. They are also usually caused by incorrectly cutting the nails and pressure on the side of the toe from shoes or the way you walk.  Poor nail cutting is not the only reason; hereditary factors also affect the shape of the toenail or cause you to have a fleshy nail lip, making you more prone to nail rubbing and irritating the skin down the side of the nail.

Treatment for first-time ingrowing nails and mild problems involves cutting back the side of the nail, packing  cotton wool, and using topical antiseptics such as betadine and advice on nail cutting and footwear. Ongoing problems may require regular nail cutting by a podiatrist. Chronic or severe ingrowing toenails may require minor nail surgery to remove the ingrown section of the nail only permanently. Don’t be put off by the thought of surgery as we have refined some procedures, which have minimal discomfort and allow early return to activity. For badly infected ingrowing nails, antibiotics may be necessary to settle the infection; however, this does not eliminate the cause of the infection, so more often than not, once you finish the antibiotics, the infection returns. Infections are common in feet due to the moist, warm environment inside shoes, which is ideal for encouraging infection.

Thick nails are usually caused by a damaged nail matrix or root, which is the area of skin from which the nail grows. Damage can be from a single event, such as stubbing you or dropping something on the toe. Small amounts of damage over a long period, such as shoes that are too short, are more often the reason. Thickening of the nails is a common occurrence with age. Tinea infection under the nail can also damage the nail bed, and certain skin conditions, such as psoriasis, will also cause nail thickening. Once the nail matrix has become damaged and thickens, the nail will remain thick.

Treatment involves filing the nail thin regularly yourself or periodically visiting a podiatrist who will use a high-speed drill to reduce the thickness. Unfortunately, surgically removing a thicked nail and allowing it to grow back does not help, as once the nail root is damaged, it will always grow back thickened and deformed. For thick nails, which are painful, surgical removal of the nail and nail root may also be considered for permanent nail removal.

They are caused by a tinea infection, which gets in between the nail plate and the skin, typically after damage, leading to the nail’s separation from the nail bed.  Fungal infections are very slow growing, but once the fungal spores get into this area under the nail, they cause discoloration, further lifting of the nail plate, and eventually thickening of the nail.  Because fungal infections are very slow-growing, they are challenging to manage and take a long time to treat. As mentioned before, tinea and other infections are common due to the moist, warm environment inside shoes.

Treatment takes many months and can involve either topical antifungal liquid applied to the nail, oral antifungal antibiotic tablets, or surgery if the nail becomes thickened and painful. Before commencing long-term or expensive treatment, diagnosis by skin scraping with microscopy, culture, and sensitivity testing is recommended.

Cutting back the infected nail to the normal healthy nail plate assists antifungal nail treatment products in getting to the infected areas and reducing the amount of fungus present.

• Always use a good nail clipper. We recommend a nail clipper with a scissor action to cut nails. The pincher-type clippers tend to crush through the nail, causing it to splinter. 
• Trim the nails by following the shape and length of your toes. Slightly round the corner to stop sharp edges. This is best done with a file
• If you cut down the side of the nail as it is easy, it can leave a small shelf or spicule of nails that can easily lead to an ingrown nail.
• Don’t tear or pick the nail, as this can cause the same problem
• See your podiatrist if your nails are difficult to trim, thick, or painful or if you are concerned about a fungus.

As a service to our patients, we have professional-style nail clippers available to purchase for the price we buy them from the surgical supplier.

• We specialise in both the non-surgical as well as surgical management of ingrowing toenails

  There are permanent cures for ingrowing toenails, which can be performed under local anaesthesia in our rooms with minimal pain or disruption to your daily life and a high success rate of around 95%.